Sisters of the Cohort Ch. 01

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Soebek110
Soebek110
278 Followers

The woman approached him, her swords already sheathed, and tenderly knelt by his side. She reached out a hand, placing it on the cold leather of his shoulder, and bowed her head. The fierceness of her eyes had been replaced with a sadness that seemed all too genuine.

"I am sorry that I could not save you, warrior. You fought bravely, and did your people proud. May the Gods watch over your soul."

Mikael coughed, a sudden, loud blast of his lungs that caused the warrior-woman to jump to her feet. Her eyes widened in surprise as he rolled on to his back, his body spasming in the throes of a coughing fit, and a shocked look spread across her face.

"You're... you're alive!" she exclaimed, hurriedly kneeling down again and replacing her hand on his shoulder. The agonising splutters that wracked him were powerful but thankfully brief, and soon she helped him into a sitting position, tenderly guiding him upright.

Mikael croaked, trying to work out the damage done to his body. Despite the incredible pain of the wizard's spell, he appeared to be fine. After a moment he turned his head to her.

"What happened?"

The look of shock on the woman's face slowly changed into one of near-total awe. "You were killed. At least you ought to have been. I failed to protect you from the necromancer's spell."

"Necromancer?" he asked, agape. He had not thought of what was happening at the time, merely fought to stay alive. Now, as things settled in his mind, terror set in. "Necromancer?!"

She stroked his neck, soothing him, and her eyes took on the look of a comforting friend. "Do not fear. He is dead; I saw to that. But he was able to cast one final curse before I struck him down, and when I saw it reach you I feared..." She paused, glancing sideways at the necromancer's corpse.

"What?"

"I feared you would be killed, or worse. Necromancers are not known for their mercy."

"And why wasn't I?"

"I do not know."

She paused, her eyes staring into his as she knelt beside him. With a tight smile she looked upwards, her gaze settling upon the full moon that shone brightly upon them, its radiance lighting the glade which had moments before been cloaked in unnatural darkness.

There she waited a while, biting her lower lip. Mikael was quiet, his own mind still struggling to comprehend what had just happened, and more than a little time elapsed in total silence.

At last she looked at him once more, and Mikael could see a difference in her demeanour; she looked conflicted, yet an aura of anticipation seemed to suffuse her.

"Could it... could it truly be you?" she whispered, staring intently at him. "Are you whom the divination foretold?"

"Divination? No, I'm no mage. I'm a ranger... I, I was just camping here when..." He tailed off.

The woman continued, still staring at him. Mikael could tell she was deadly serious. "It is prophesised amongst my warband that a mighty warrior would join our cause. We would find him when he needed us most, his life in great peril under the glow of a full moon. There we would be sent an unmistakable sign that he was chosen, and truly know he was one of us."


Mikael glanced up. The full moon shone brightly in the sky.

"A warband...?" he asked warily, his nerves suddenly on edge. He had no love for bandits, and despite his weakened state he would not accept help from one who preyed on the weak.

"Yes," she said, following his gaze to the heavens. For a moment she lingered there, a small smile on her face. Then she glanced back down at him.

"We are the Cohort... of the Gods."

Mikael spluttered loudly, suddenly finding the energy to surge to his feet. "What?! The what of the what?"

"The Cohort of the Gods," she slowly repeated, a smile spreading across her angelic face. It was only now, in the tranquillity following the battle, that Mikael was able to take in just how stunning she was. He stared into her beautiful eyes, and he found himself, inexplicably, trusting her. It was as if some connection existed between them, and despite the fact they had never met before, her words took root in his heart. Mikael could see he was not alone - this deadly woman felt it, too. After a pause, she continued.

"We are the servants of the Gods. We exist to combat evil, no matter where it may arise. We protect the weak and the helpless, destroying those from without and from within who would seek to corrupt that which is pure. We are the righteous fist and the merciful embrace; we are the Cohort of the Gods."

She never broke eye contact as she spoke, and Mikael felt himself being drawn in yet further by the power of her words. Normally he would have dismissed such outlandish claims outright, but the words -- when coupled with the battle Mikael had just survived and the extraordinary woman who stood before him -- just seemed... right.

Another few moments passed as it all sank in. Mikael could not help it; he believed this girl. The air was silent, but a tangible energy crackled within it, as if the Gods themselves were watching over them. Suddenly, the woman smiled.

"But please, the occasion has overwhelmed my manners. I am Lucinda." She grinned and thrust out her hand.

"Mikael," he said quietly in return, still in shock. He took her outstretched hand, immediately noticing the softness of her skin -- and enjoying it. A shiver ran through him at her touch.

"Mikael," she repeated, rolling the name over her tongue. Her hand held onto his just a little longer than necessary.

"Mikael, I know that this is a lot to take in, but I ask that you come with me. I can explain everything to you when we reach my camp, and on a merely practical level I am quite sure you do not want to remain here amongst this grave dust."

Mikael looked around. "No, I do not."

"Then I shall wait whilst you gather your belongings. Take your time - we are in no hurry."

Mikael moved over to his small campsite. The fire had died, its fuel exhausted, and the scene was now lit only by the moon. It leant the area a peaceful glow, calming him as he began to pack away his tent. He was surprised to note that despite the incredible tension that filled him, he was not afraid. He had just been told it was destiny to join a warband anointed by the Gods themselves, and yet he felt only anticipation. He did not know why, but he sensed the truthfulness of that statement, as if his entire life had been building up to this moment; he had just never realised it.

At length he finished; he slung his pack over his shoulder and turned to face Lucinda. She stood in the middle of the glade, regarding him pleasantly, and he took the time to finally indulge in her beauty.

She was stunning. Long, black hair hung straight and loose to her waist, swept over her shoulders and shimmering in the moonlight. Her eyes, he knew, were green, and her lips were curled into a smile as she watched him watching her. She wore leather armour like Mikael's own, yet hers was tight fitting, revealing a figure more appealing than Mikael had ever seen. Her leather pants covered long, slender legs, and her cuirass held snugly over her slim stomach before being stretched taut across what appeared to be an extremely ample chest. Her breasts were amongst the largest Mikael had ever seen, especially on a woman of Lucinda's trim build, and despite his vast experience with women he found himself utterly blown away by his new companion.

With a nod of his head she turned away from him, her spin graceful and silent. They quickly slipped through the glade and into the trees, and Mikael had a hard time keeping up with her. The light of the moon was less potent underneath the foliage, and at times Mikael completely lost sight of Lucinda, only for her to reappear mere steps ahead of him, emerging from a shadow he was sure had been empty moments before.

But the journey itself was far from arduous. His aptitude for travelling allowed them to maintain a steady pace through difficult terrain, and though they walked in silence to prevent an ambush, Mikael found entertainment staring at his companion's exceptionally shapely ass. It had been mere days since his encounter with the tavern girl, yet he was not one to pass up an opportunity to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh. Despite the yearnings of his loins, however, he doubted this would be one of those occasions - but such a visual treat was not something he was about to pass up. He could, after all, dream.

An eventful night, he smiled to himself as they hopped over a small stream. That the Gods would be interested in him, a simple ranger-for-hire, seemed doubtful, but Mikael could simply not shake the conviction that the words of the gorgeous woman in front of him were true. She had told him she would explain everything when they reached their destination. Mikael only hoped that it wasn't too far.

*****************************

They had been walking for a good couple of hours when Lucinda finally slowed ahead of him. One moment she was a dozen paces in front; the next she was emerging from a shadow by his side, her steps silent.

"We have reached my camp," she whispered.

Mikael looked around. They had approached the steep face of a hill, bare rock exposed as the land had given way many ages in the past. The trees were thick around them, and a small brook babbled away somewhere in the darkness. He could see no spot ideal for camping, but he unslung his pack nonetheless. Lucinda had given him no reason to doubt her so far.

She placed her hand on his arm, staying the motion. He looked at her questioningly and she grinned back, amusement evident on her face. With a deft step she moved away from him, towards a tangled mass of vines on the exposed rock, and pulled the creepers back. A small cavemouth became apparent behind the rampant growth, and Mikael stepped forwards, ducking into the gap as Lucinda pulled the vines back behind her.

The cave opened out significantly. It was dark, only thin strands of moonlight piercing the thick knot of creepers over the mouth, yet Mikael could tell it was an exceptional campsite - roomy but easy to defend, and, most importantly of all, almost totally hidden from view.

"Very impressive. If only I were so adept at finding places to sleep, perhaps I could have avoided attack earlier this evening," he said quietly, his voice echoing slightly.

"Ah, but then you would not have met me," Lucinda replied with a grin, and Mikael noted with pleasant surprise that she was teasing him. "Besides," she added, facing away from Mikael towards the back of the cave, "this is not the campsite. The Cohort have more than mere rock to comfort them."

Mikael was left temporarily perplexed by her words, yet his confusion turned to awe as his companion raised her arms. At once a low rumbling filled the cave, and were it not for Lucinda's perfect composure, Mikael would have fled for fear of a collapse.

But the noise did not signify imminent cave-in. Indeed, it did not signify danger of any kind, and as Mikael watched on agape, a small section of the rear of the cave fell away. Small clouds of dust were kicked up as the ground disappeared down into darkness, and Mikael stood rooted to the spot as Lucinda summoned him over.

She grinned at him. "Come on. There's nothing to be afraid of."

He approached tentatively, moving to stand alongside Lucinda, who now perched on the edge of a large hole. Moonlight did not reach this far back into the cave, and Mikael could not see how deep the new opening was, unable to fathom whether it descended mere feet or whole leagues.

Lucinda smiled warmly at him, before stepping forwards over the potential abyss. She dropped down into the inky blackness, and Mikael was left standing alone.

He paused a moment, weighing up his options. He could leave now, abandoning the woman who had saved his life yet wanted him to jump into an unknown pit, or he could trust her. Fuck it, he sighed. I've trusted her so far.

He jumped.

He landed moments later, ending in a crouch to cushion his fall. His palms lay flat against incredible softness, and it felt to Mikael as if he had landed on a particularly plush rug. He could not be sure, however, owing to the flare of light that had assaulted his eyes as he fell into the hole, and he squatted a short while as his vision recovered.

"I'm sorry! I had forgotten you were not expecting the light!" He realised that Lucinda was laughing. She was talking far more loudly than she had been outside.

"I was not," Mikael groaned as he climbed to his feet, finding himself able to open his eyes once more. They immediately stretched wide as they took in what lay before him.

He was standing in a large room, wall-mounted lamps filling it with pleasant light. A small fire burned in the centre, too, giving off heat yet no smoke, and Mikael's senses tingled slightly with a sense of latent sorcery. Indeed, the fire and the lamps did not seem entirely natural, yet they did not fill Mikael with a sense of foreboding.

The floor was bedecked in luscious rugs, more opulent than any Mikael had seen in his life, and a large curtain draped from iron rungs in the ceiling separated a small portion of the room from the rest. In the other corner sat a relatively large pool, and Mikael could see it was slightly under waist-deep; one would have to lie back to be submerged, but it was otherwise perfect for bathing. Tendrils of steam rose from it, and Mikael could only assume it was heated from the depths of the earth.

He was motionless awhile, taken aback by the sheer splendour of this hideaway. He had not been expecting this, and even had he been forewarned that Lucinda's camp was luxurious, he would not have been prepared for what lay before him. It was more grandiose than even the most expensive tavern room that Mikael had occupied, and he was amazed that Lucinda could ever bring herself to leave it.

He was spurred into movement as Lucinda raised her arms, smiling at him as another rumbling filled the air. He looked up and watched as the opening above him closed, the rock growing inwards like a wound healing over time.

"You didn't think I'd leave that open, did you?" Lucinda laughed, clearly noticing Mikael's bemused expression, before continuing. "I see you are still confused. Please, take a seat by the fire and relax."

Mikael moved from the corner of the room he had landed in, his eyes still taking in the wondrous spectacle.

"I must ask, however, that you take off your armour and weaponry," his companion smiled. "This story will be both long and, in places, quite exceptional. I do not want you in discomfort for its length, and I certainly do not want you armed."

Mikael chuckled and dropped his pack near the fire. His sheathed longswords swiftly followed, and he crouched to rummage through his belongings. There he found his more comfortable clothing, deep at the bottom of the bag, and hauled them out. They had been thoroughly stored away; he had not been expecting to wear them for days. When in the open he slept in his equipment at all times.

Having done so, he stood, turning to Lucinda to ask whether there was anywhere that offered slightly more privacy, but she had vanished. A moment later he heard sounds from behind the separating curtain in the corner, and assuming that was the closest he would come to privacy, hurriedly changed.

His light armour piled up next to his longswords and pack, and soon he was dressed in more regular clothing. The outfit did not consist of much; an open necked shirt, linen pants with a leather belt, and open-toed sandals. They had served him well, however, and he did not regret owning them -- whilst not giving off the impression that he was rich, and therefore a target for robbery, they were also not tatty. He could find himself accepted anywhere whilst wearing them, from a tavern in the Poor Quarter to a nobleman's dining hall. He decided this evening to forgo the sandals, however; the floor was covered in rugs as it was, and there was no need for footwear.

He sat by the fire and reclined on the carpets splayed beneath him. It was then that Lucinda emerged from behind the tapestry, and he was pleased to note that she was carrying a jug of liquid and a small loaf of bread. She, too, had changed -- she was now dressed in a loose-fitting shirt, and a linen skirt that fell to her ankles. Whilst not as form-fitting as her armour, it was evidently more comfortable, though Mikael did somewhat miss the way her leathers had highlighted her magnificent figure. Nevertheless, she was still beautiful, and Mikael was sure he would see her wearing her armour again soon enough.

He sat upright, his stomach slightly rumbling, and patiently waited for Lucinda to join him by the fire. She strode over with a smile, kneeling in front of Mikael in order to place the loaf and jug on the floor. With a quick nod of her head, she returned behind the tapestry, emerging moments later carrying two pewter goblets.

A thrill ran through him as she settled down by his side, despite the fact that it would have been far odder were she to sit anywhere else. Her mere proximity was setting Mikael's nerves aflame, and he appreciated that. He just hoped he wasn't making it too obvious.

Lucinda smiled pleasantly at him as she set the goblets down, before leaning forwards to grasp the jug of what Mikael now realised was wine. He breathed in sharply as she bent over; her loose top allowed a shot of her magnificent cleavage, and try as he might he could not look away. He cursed himself. Here he was with a woman who'd not only saved his life but then trusted him enough to bring him somewhere safe, and all he could do was stare at her breasts. He may have been somewhat of a wanderer, but that did not mean he didn't understand or obey social etiquette; he knew that staring lecherously at your saviour's chest was not an acceptable method of saying thanks.

"I am afraid that, whilst comfortable, this sanctuary is a little short of luxuries," she said to him as she sat back up, passing him one of the now-filled goblets. She must have caught him staring, but she did not skip a beat. "The others are better stocked."

Mikael's worries were pushed out by this most recent statement. More luxurious? To Mikael, this was pure comfort -- never before had he been in a place quite so resplendent, and that included the houses of the nobles he had been allowed to enter in his lifetime.

She motioned at the goblet that he now clutched. "Please, indulge in our wine; it is one of the few things we have here that can truly be called luxury."

Mikael was going to refute such a suggestion, but instead decided merely to acquiesce. The wine certainly looked appealing, and he did not want to argue with his hostess's assertion. Taking a tentative sip, he lifted an eyebrow, and the sip turned into a gulp. He was not normally the greatest fan of wine, but this was delicious -- it had a heady, intoxicating scent that caused his mind to wander and his loins to faintly stir. Although the loin-stirring might have more to so with the beautiful woman I'm sat next to, Mikael laughed to himself.

Lucinda smiled and took a sip of her own wine before continuing. "It appears you are now comfortable, so I shall explain to you what this is all about.

"You have many questions, I'm sure, and I will endeavour to answer them in turn. Firstly, perhaps, you wonder where this sanctuary came from. I can tell you had no idea it existed -- nor had you come across any others of its like -- by your surprise when we entered. This is good; these places are supposed to be secret. For you see, the Cohort exists to fight evil - wherever it may appear - at the Gods' behest, and we do so quickly and quietly. No one knows about our existence unless we choose for them to, such as I do now.

Soebek110
Soebek110
278 Followers